


6:24 PM, The Main Dining Hall at Pratt Institute

by turn_turn_turn



Series: Um, Hello - A Meet-Cute AU Series [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: ALRIGHT so not really a meet-cute, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Cactus of Affection, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Meet-Cute, and by that I mean I was trying to be funny again, but there is an element of meet-cute-ing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-09 22:39:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8915731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turn_turn_turn/pseuds/turn_turn_turn
Summary: Finally Steve grabs a dinner roll off of his tray and lobs it with precision at the back of Bucky's head.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so this one is TECHNICALLY not a meet-cute. But there's a part that - I tried to – well, you'll see. 
> 
> The premise here involves a cactus. Just so you know.

Steve drops his tray in a semi-clear spot at the end of one cafeteria table and sits down heavily onto his seat. He picks disinterestedly at his Greek salad and wonders if he'll hear from Buck today.   

Steve isn't guaranteed to run into him now that they are no longer roommates, but Bucky has been living on campus as an RA for the past three months and aside from the last forty-eight hours Steve hasn't gone a day without seeing him for - well, for as long as Steve can remember.  

Thinking about what had happened between him and Buck this past Saturday night, Steve struggles between wanting to grin and needing to frown.   

He and Buck had been hanging out at their favorite bar, The 107, kicking back a few more beers than was usual and feeling pretty giddy with it - though the details as to why they'd insisted on getting themselves decently tipsy are hazy to Steve at this point, what with everything that happened afterward.   

He _does_ remember Buck saying something that had the two of them nearly falling off their stools in mirth, sliding against each other and clutching at one another's shoulders for balance (Steve trying not to tug too hard on Bucky's new, high tech prosthesis in the process). And Steve _definitely_ remembers the moment when, between one cackle of laughter and the next, Bucky had leaned in the few extra inches and _kissed_ him. Right on the mouth.  

Steve had been pleased, of course – wanting to kiss Bucky has been a perpetual state of being for him since age thirteen – but also surprised, given that it was the very first kiss of their almost decade long friendship. Unfortunately in the heat of the moment Steve's big mook face had decided it was only going to register the surprise, not the happiness; once Buck had pulled back enough to get a good look at it he had mumbled a horrified 'Shit, sorry' and promptly fled the scene.   

So the kissing, however unexpected, is the grin-inducing bit.   

The fact that Steve hasn't heard from Bucky since the kissing-and-fleeing is where the frown comes in.  

Steve has called and texted him dozens of times, but all he's gotten back is radio silence. Bucky isn't usually one for the avoidance game, but nothing about this situation is typical of their relationship, so Steve figures he'll give Bucky space if he needs it.   

That doesn't make the waiting any easier to bear, though; now that they've gotten the ball rolling in the kissing department, Steve's pretty eager to _keep_ the ball rolling. Or, you know, a slightly more sexy idiom.   

After a good twenty minutes of dejectedly poking at his wilting lettuce, Steve gets up to refill his root beer. Returning to his spot a few minutes later he finds that his chair has been occupied by a small, potted cactus, tied haphazardly around with a misshapen, blue bow.   

Steve immediately scans the long tables for a familiar dark head, knowing the culprit can only be -   

"Bucky."  

He's there, two tables away, sitting with his back to Steve in between a cluster of younger students and a couple sharing dessert.   

Bucky's shoulders tense, obviously having heard Steve's voice, but he doesn't turn around.   

"Buck. Bucky. _Buck_ ," Steve tries again and again, to no reaction.   

Finally Steve grabs a dinner roll off of his tray and lobs it with precision at the back of Bucky's head.   

Bucky turns towards him then, blinking with over-exaggerated innocence, and calls, "Excuse me, sir, are you trying to get my attention?"  

Steve sighs. "Yes, Mr. Bucky Barnes - will you come over here so we can talk?"   

Bucky narrows his eyes as if in confusion. "Bucky? Who the hell is 'Bucky'? My name is ah, _Dimitri_. Russian, you know – exchange semester."   

Steve raises an eyebrow, recalling that he and Buck had watched _Anastasia_ together just last week. "Oh, yeah?"  

"Yeah, um, nice to meet you. Sorry I'm not your Barney or whatever – I mean not _your_ – I mean -" Bucky flails.   

"Nice to meet you too, Dimitri." Steve rolls his eyes, deciding to play along with whatever strange awkward-tension-coping-strategy Bucky is attempting.   

They stare at each other for a few beats before Bucky clears his throat and begins, "So ah, can I just say – as a casual, foreign observer who has no emotional investment in the proceedings, whatsoever – that that is a really ah, nice lookin' plant you got there. Whoever gave it to you must, um, like you a whole lot."  

Steve crosses his arms over his chest and tries not to smile. "Yeah, you think?" He glances back at the rather lumpy-looking cactus and it's sad little bow. "What do you think it's trying to communicate? I don't see a note."  

Bucky darts his eyes briefly at the cactus before meeting Steve's eye. "No? Well, um, it's obviously a make-up gesture - I think anyway. The blue bow strikes me as very ah, remorseful."   

At this point Steve's patience is starting to wear a little thin; an apology is the last thing he wants from Bucky, especially right now. "I don't know," he shakes his head, deciding to press. "I think it's actually pretty _romantic_ , don't ya think? Maybe whoever left it is trying to flirt with me."  

'Dimitri' raises a dark eyebrow that manages to look sardonic and panicked at the same time. "Seems a little prickly for romance."  

"I didn't say I thought it was particularly _adept_ flirting."   

Bucky's face colors but he doesn't look away. "I – I mean - admittedly I know very little about your American ways in that regard, but I guess it's ah, very possible. Probable." He clears his throat again, looking so nervous that Steve feels his chest tighten in a mixture of sympathy and exasperation. Bucky visibly steels himself and adds, "After all, better to make-out than to make-up, right?"   

Steve snorts. "You're hopeless, you know that?"  

Bucky's shoulders droop as he drops the pretense. "Just so long as _you_ know that," he mumbles, looking away.   

"Trust me, it hasn't escaped my notice. Now go get yourself a slice of pizza and then come sit with me so we can talk this through."  

Bucky shoots Steve an uneasy grimace. "And when you say 'talk this through'…"   

Steve rolls his eyes again and smiles. "I want to kiss you too, dipshit. Go get some dinner."  

"Okay," Bucky murmurs, looking suddenly blank.   

There are a few giggles from the surrounding students but Steve ignores them, watching as Bucky gets up and moves toward the buffet line.   

After a few paces Bucky turns around, a wide grin blossoming over his mouth. "You know if we start dating this whole bossing-me-around thing ain't gunna fly," he says.   

Steve beams back at him. "We'll see."  

"Yeah?" And now Bucky's smile is blinding.   

Steve's heart skips a beat. "Yeah."  

 

  

\---  

 

  

 **A year or so later...**   

  

"Is this thing going to be a permanent fixture in our lives now?"   

Bucky gestures with his slice of pizza at the lumpy cactus, now slightly larger, which is sitting on the kitchen windowsill in the cerulean-glazed pot Steve had bought when they moved into their new apartment.   

Steve shrugs. "Well yeah – I don’t ever want to forget that after ten long years of friendship and foreplay you finally attempted to woo me with _that_. _That_ was your big move."   

"That was _not_ -"  

"Oh you're right – first there was that sloppy, inebriated peck on the lips, followed by three days of avoiding me. You were a regular Don Juan."   

"Need I remind you that it fuckin' _worked_? I think that cactus is just a reminder that you are the easiest piece of ass I've ever -"   

"Wow, you're right, I'm completely overcome by your romantic prowess. Quick – grab the fainting couch."   

"I can be romantic, you fuckin' dickbag. I thought a plant in a pot was better – you know how watching flowers dying in a vase kinda bums me out."  

"So you were gunna bring me flowers that day? But instead you opted for the ugliest cactus in the tri-state area?"  

"I'll have you know there were quite a few at the greenhouse place that were even _less_ appealing than that -"  

"I love you."  

"Yeah? You sure? I did buy you an ugly cactus."  

"You _wooed me_ with an ugly cactus."  

Bucky grins. "And don’t you forget it."  

Steve nods. "That's why it's in the window."  

"I knew it! Easiest piece of -"  

"Shut up, jerk."  

"Make me."  

Steve does.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This one might be my favorite. So far. HA THERE ARE SO MANY LEFT TO GO. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and for all the amazing comments on the installments so far you guys give me LIFE you are all TREASURES and I have had TOO MUCH COFFEE TODAY holy crap. Love you guys. 
> 
> <3


End file.
